Yep you're the only one.
One of the best games of all time.

Its awesome, you're crazy.

Better challenge than previous 3D Marios.
Great gameplay
4 player
Awesome achievements
Fun Miiverse implementation
crazy platforming and powers

You're skipping a game that is better than the galaxy games IMO.

You don't have to like the game but you are doing yourself a disservice by not playing at least a little more. This game, more than most, keeps most of its best tricks and levels until you've nearly 'finished' the game, but it still picks up significantly after the first couple of worlds. I'm one of those who put this game right up there with Galaxy, it's not as good in some areas but it's better in others.

Also it might help to realise that the game's controls are not limited to 8 directions, it's actually 16 (at least) and personally I used the analogue stick even though it sounds like some people used the D-pad.

I know I am crazy, and I haven't played that particular Mario Game yet (due to lack of Wii U) but I haven't enjoyed a Mario game in ages... I still enjoy Super Mario Bros. 3, but that is it... I simply can't play all the other iterations...sorry for going offtopic

For me the game was good but it only really took off once I finished it (if that makes sense).

You clearly don't have a soul if you don't enjoy this beautiful and fun game. I'd also like to know why the hell are some people using the D-pad.. Use the damn analog stick. That's why  it's there.

It's mostly limited to 8 directions, and it fits well with the level design, but overall I don't like either the controls or the level design.

Here's what I mean with the 8 direction comment: You can tilt the stick a little to the sides of the seemingly eight directions, but it will mostly snap to a grid consisting of eight points. Go to a ghost stage and put on a "light box" powerup and spin around, and you'll see what I mean.

Again, it fits with the "box-ish" level design, more than full analog would do... But overall I didn't really like the decisions for this game. Still it's a really well-designed game, just not what I hoped it would be.

Okay, I've taken people's advice and played this game a little bit more in single player. I am enjoying myself more than I had been. I will continue to play through the game. I have yet to feel like 'this is the best Mario game in 20 years' as many of the reviews have claimed. For example, I really enjoy the new NSMB 2 on the 3DS and never had a problem playing through the levels. I am enjoying this a bit more than I did the first few levels, and find playing in single player really makes it more fun. Maybe with the right partners, multiplayer is fun, but with that timer and the things to find in each level, I am not having a ton of fun playing it with my wife, who isn't too big into games.

I'll keep going. It's fun, but it's not 'ZOMG the best EVUR game in da SERIES, brozors!' I agree with the poster above who said that claims that it was 'sooooooooooooooooo good' were overselling by people desperate for this to be the thing that saved the Wii U. Anyway, thanks for taking the time to post everybody! You've inspired me to stick with it.

I felt the same way initially, like something felt like it was ... missing ... but it's one of those games you have to keep playing.

The first three worlds are basically for kids and beginners, the game starts to ramp up from there though and then you start to see EAD Tokyo's genius design really start to kick in. Try and push yourself to find all three green stars in each level too, that's really the proper way to play the game. 

The control is never going to be quite as precise as I think people will like because of the 4 player mechanic, they had to tweak how each character controls to make them all different.

To me it's pretty much on par with the Galaxy games once you get into the later worlds. Maybe slightly better in some respects even.